Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Solicitation, Practicing the Supreme One Golden Armor Technique, Fish Demon

Of course, Zhou Changwang was not eyeing the high-grade five-element cultivation method the other party possessed.

Now that he already had a top-tier five-element cultivation method, the Pure Sun Five-Element Technique, there was naturally no need for him to practice any other method. Even if he managed to acquire one, it could at most serve as a foundation for reference, and he would not waste time cultivating it.

The reason he thought of this person was simply because arriving at Jade Lake had triggered some inexplicable associations.

"Let's go, we are heading down."

At this very moment, Shen Xinyue spoke up.

"What are we going down for?"

Someone asked with curiosity.

"To rent a boat and take the water route.

Taking the water route for two days can save us three days of travel time, and it will also allow us to bypass a perilous region."

Shen Xinyue offered an explanation and then took the lead, walking down the mountain.

The others naturally had no objections. Moving briskly, the group quickly descended Two Abysses Mountain and, under Shen Xinyue's guidance, arrived at a row of docked boats.

"Pavilion Master Shen, this place is actually considered part of my family's business. You can leave the boat rental to me."

Right at that moment, Zhao Gongpeng stepped forward and spoke up.

" Oh? Then I shall trouble Daoist Zhao."

Hearing this, Shen Xinyue cast a surprised look at him and naturally did not refuse.

Having someone step forward not only made the boat rental fees much cheaper, but also saved a great deal of trouble.

"This place is actually considered an enterprise.

Half a year ago, it was managed by the Wu family and yielded quite high profits, generating a revenue of one hundred thousand low-grade spiritual stones a year.

However, half a year ago, the Wu family caused turmoil and withdrew entirely from the marketplace, so this enterprise was passively released. Now, it is jointly managed by the Qu family, the Xu family, and the Zhao family.

Of course, both the Chen and Bai families wanted to meddle as well, but over the past half year, the two families have been fighting fiercely and failed to free up their hands.

Precisely because of this, no chaos has broken out here.

Many people are even still unaware of the situation within the marketplace."

Right at that moment, Gong Baixue drew closer and spoke in this manner.

"So that's how it is."

Zhou Changwang nodded, knowing that the Zhao family she mentioned was the very same Zhao family to which Zhao Gongpeng belonged.

It was said that the Zhao family was an immortal-cultivating clan that rose to prominence through talisman-making. Their family business scope included the production of talisman paper and the drawing of spiritual talismans... Although there were quite a few small talisman shops within Phoenix Cry Dock marketplace, the largest one that produced the most spiritual talismans was actually the Zhao family's talisman shop.

Moreover, they produced not only lower-grade and middle-grade tier-one spiritual talismans, but the Zhao family's primary output consisted of high-grade tier-one spiritual talismans, and even lower-grade tier-two spiritual talismans.

These spiritual talismans were often exorbitantly priced with very generous profit margins, making them life-saving items that many cultivators were forced to spend a great deal of money to acquire.

Take 'Ghost Eye' Zhao Shanhe, for instance. If he hadn't possessed that lower-grade tier-two Earth Escape Talisman, he absolutely would not have been able to escape from Zhou Changwang's hands.

Once the Zhao family developed, they naturally wouldn't limit themselves solely to the path of talisman-making; they would also actively participate in the layout of other industries.

That was why, half a year ago, they managed to secure a share of the Jade Lake enterprise.

As for the Qu family mentioned by Gong Baixue, he was somewhat more familiar with them because the Immortal Tower within Phoenix Cry Dock marketplace was precisely an enterprise of the Qu family.

The Immortal Tower operated various immortal-cultivating delicacies and banquets, so it was entirely normal for them to intervene in this Jade Lake enterprise.

After all, Jade Lake was rich in fish products and possessed many rare spiritual fish, making it a favorite among many food enthusiasts.

Soon, Zhao Gongpeng walked back. Walking alongside him was a middle-aged cultivator with a pair of mustaches on his face.

After the middle-aged cultivator walked over, he quickly cupped his fists and said, "I am Zhao Wenqiang, serving as the manager here. I was unaware of Pavilion Master Shen's esteemed arrival, and I apologize for failing to welcome you from afar."

"Manager Zhao is too polite. This time, we intend to rent a fishing boat to cross the lake, and I must ask Manager Zhao to grant us some convenience."

Shen Xinyue also cupped her fists and spoke.

"Easy enough.

Gongpeng has already mentioned it to me just now. I have already arranged a fishing boat here, which can reach Heavenly River Mountain within two days. Past Heavenly River Mountain lies a vast plain, and if we are fast, we can reach Divine Wind Valley marketplace within five or six days.

Right, for the fishing boat's helmsman, I have arranged our most experienced Master Ge, Ge Yuanshan, to steer the helm, which will guarantee your safe arrival at the opposite shore.

Along the way, you will even pass through a fishing zone. If you have any interest, you can also engage in fishing, and if you manage to catch a few white-spotted jade fish, you can even earn a little pocket money."

That Manager Zhao said with a smile.

"Thank you, Manager Zhao. I wonder what the fee for renting the boat is..."

Shen Xinyue cupped her fists and then inquired.

"The fee will be waived. Since my nephew has spoken, how could we possibly charge?"

Manager Zhao said with a smile.

"It should cost whatever it costs. Please, Manager Zhao, do not decline."

Shen Xinyue shook her head, however; she saw no need to owe a human favor over a trivial matter like this.

"Generally speaking, it is fifty low-grade spiritual stones per person. Since Pavilion Master Shen insists on paying, let's calculate it as thirty low-grade spiritual stones per person."

Manager Zhao hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Shen Xinyue nodded and directly took out a batch of spiritual stones, paying the boat fare.

Manager Zhao's efficiency was very high.

He quickly arranged for their group to board a large boat that was twenty zhang long and three to four zhang high.

The captain of the boat was Master Ge, Ge Yuanshan, whom Manager Zhao had mentioned earlier, possessing cultivation at the sixth layer of Qi Refinement. Aside from Captain Ge, there were four or five crew members.

"This boat is so huge.

The price must be quite exorbitant, right?"

Qian Xiaoyue exclaimed with wonder.

"Of course.

This boat is crafted entirely from tier-two spiritual wood, red iron fir, and its underside is wrapped in a layer of scarlet gold spiritual iron, which can effectively prevent collisions from fish demons.

At least it can withstand dozens of collisions from middle-grade fish demons.

Moreover, a tier-one high-grade defensive grand array is specially deployed on the fishing boat. Once activated, as long as you don't enter certain dangerous waters, there is no danger of it being shattered even if besieged by several tier-one high-grade fish demons.

The construction cost of the entire fishing boat is naturally not cheap either; a bare hull alone costs six thousand low-grade spiritual stones, and if array formations and other utilities are additionally installed, it would amount to well over ten thousand low-grade spiritual stones."

Hearing this, Captain Ge nearby could not help but say with a smile.

Qian Xiaoyue clicked her tongue in wonder upon hearing this.

She hadn't expected that a mere fishing boat would be so expensive.

One had to know that among the row of fishing boats just now, there were still several larger and more majestic fishing boats than this one. Wouldn't that mean casually any single one of them would cost tens of thousands of low-grade spiritual stones?

"Set sail! Raise anchor!"

Following immediately after, with a sharp shout from Captain Ge, the anchor was hauled up, and the entire fishing boat immediately set into motion.

Inside the fishing boat, there was a resting cabin, but the built-in rooms were not many. If two or three people shared a room, it would barely suffice.

However, most cultivators preferred to cultivate in solitude and were not accustomed to sharing a room with others.

Fortunately, the boat ride was short and would reach the destination in two days. Therefore, aside from a few cultivators who stayed in their rooms for the sake of cultivation, everyone else remained on the boat deck.

Some leaned against the railing, gazing at the distant Jade Lake scenery; some found a spot to sit cross-legged and cultivate; while others gathered in groups of twos and threes to exchange newly gained insights.

Qian Xiaoyue was also staying with Lu Weier at this time. The two of them were communicating together, as if their estrangement had dissipated, at least appearing talkative and smiling on the surface.

Of course, Zhou Changwang also knew that since the estrangement had already formed, it was impossible to wear it away so quickly. The two of them seemed to have reconciled as before, but they had merely suppressed that trace of estrangement deep in their hearts.

Regarding this, Zhou Changwang did not say much.

Neither of them was at fault; if anyone was to blame, it could only be that his own strength was a bit too weak.

Afterwards, Zhou Changwang found Shen Xinyue, took out thirty low-grade spiritual stones, and said, "Sister Shen, this is the boat fare."

"Very well."

Regarding this, Shen Xinyue did not refuse.

Business was business. If he were a cultivator of the Water Cloud Pavilion, it would be completely normal for her to pay the spiritual stones, but since Zhou Changwang neither belonged to the Water Cloud Pavilion nor intended to head to the Water Cloud Immortal Sect to participate in the sect admission assessment, he naturally had to pay his own boat fare.

Not just him, but Gong Baixue, Wenren Xiu, Fang Shitong, and others were all the same.

On the contrary, Zhao Gongpeng did not need to spend spiritual stones because it was his family's enterprise.

"Right, this time going to Divine Wind Valley marketplace, what are your plans?"

Suddenly, Shen Xinyue inquired.

Zhou Changwang was stunned, thought for a moment, and said, "Plans? Naturally, it's to find a place to settle down first."

"Then would you be interested in joining our Water Cloud Pavilion?

We also have enterprises within Divine Wind Valley marketplace, and they are far larger than those in Phoenix Cry Dock marketplace.

The pavilion master is my senior sister Tang Yuyan, and I was previously the deputy pavilion master within Divine Wind Valley marketplace, so I do possess a certain degree of authority.

Actually, inviting you to join the Water Cloud Pavilion doesn't require you to do much; you just need to give priority to providing the spiritual plants you cultivate to our Water Cloud Pavilion in the future.

In return, I will strive to secure a medicine garden for you.

At the very least, it will be a tier-two spiritual land medicine garden."

Shen Xinyue issued the invitation with an earnest expression.

Had it been before, although she felt immensely grateful to Zhou Changwang, she wouldn't have made the decision to invite him to join the Water Cloud Pavilion.

After all, he was essentially just a rogue cultivator and spiritual planter. Although the quality of the Spirit-Gathering Grass he cultivated was quite good, there were actually quite a few spiritual planters in both Phoenix Cry Dock and Divine Wind Valley marketplaces who could achieve this.

Until this time.

Relying solely on his own strength to successively slay a seventh-layer Qi Refinement cultivator and a pseudo-copper corpse comparable to a peak ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, her view of Zhou Changwang had completely changed.

Although, as the other party said, Zhou Changwang merely relied on spiritual talismans and borrowed the might of talismans.

Yet, being able to hurl out so many talismans and successively slay Song Xianchao and the pseudo-copper corpse was enough to prove his strength.

Ordinary cultivators, even if they grasped a handful of powerful spiritual talismans, would simply be helpless if they failed to hit their targets.

In the immortal-cultivating world, there were no lack of individuals with abundant financial resources. Some family cultivators and sect disciples were far wealthier than ordinary rogue cultivators, and certain elders, in order to ensure the safety of their younger descendants, inevitably left behind some life-saving items.

High-grade tier-one talismans of great might, and even tier-two talismans, were quite numerous.

Why was it extremely rare to hear of high-grade cultivators dying at the hands of low-grade cultivators?

It was precisely because they hurled out talismans, but the high-grade cultivators perceived that things were going badly and slipped away to hide beforehand. Without spiritual sense locking on and without momentum pulling the threads to ensure the attacks landed stably on the corresponding targets, how could they truly exert any effect?

Therefore, Zhou Changwang himself might not possess the strength to slay cultivators above the seventh layer of Qi Refinement, but the talismans in his hands, coupled with his methods capable of 'normally exerting' the might of those talismans, were enough to prevent any high-grade cultivator from daring to look down on him.

When it all came down to it, it was about strength.

"This... since Sister Shen extends such a warm invitation, I naturally have no reason to refuse."

Zhou Changwang pondered slightly and ultimately agreed.

Joining the Water Cloud Pavilion currently presented more advantages than disadvantages for him.

Merely the aspect of tier-two or higher spiritual land was something an ordinary rogue cultivator like him could never hope to rent.

One had to understand that spiritual fields and spiritual lands were scarce resources everywhere. Every hole was filled with a radish, and there was simply no possibility of any of them being vacant.

They were long since occupied by various intricate and complex forces and immortal-cultivating families within the marketplace.

If he went to lease one single-handedly, he would at most rent a small courtyard with a spiritual field just like in Phoenix Cry Dock marketplace, and the grade of the spiritual field would fundamentally fail to reach above tier two.

However, renting it through the Water Cloud Pavilion was completely different.

With the backing of the Water Cloud Immortal Sect alone, no one would dare to treat it lightly. Even if others didn't want to yield, they still had to account for the influence of the Water Cloud Pavilion and step aside.

Furthermore, the Water Cloud Pavilion itself possessed such spiritual fields and medicine gardens.

Of course, Zhou Changwang could also join the Gong family where Gong Baixue resided. At the very least, Gong Baixue had invited him more than once, and the conditions offered were not low.

However, compared to the almost unconditional terms of the Water Cloud Pavilion, joining the Gong family would mean not only handing over the majority of the spiritual plants he cultivated to the Gong family, but also facing the danger of exposing numerous secrets, not to mention having his personal freedom restricted.

Naturally, it was not his primary choice.

"Then congratulations to Daoist Zhao for becoming a member of our Water Cloud Pavilion.

Since we are our own people, you can take these spiritual stones back.

It's just a bit of boat fare; our Water Cloud Pavilion is still capable of affording it."

Hearing this, a trace of a smile appeared on Shen Xinyue's face as well, and she immediately handed those thirty low-grade spiritual stones back.

Seeing this, Zhou Changwang couldn't help but laugh softly, and he did not stand on ceremony either.

Bidding farewell to Shen Xinyue, Zhou Changwang returned to the deck, found a corner, and sat down cross-legged.

Having been out on this journey for a long time, the time he had for cultivation had gradually decreased accordingly.

It was rare to sit on the boat deck without needing to travel by foot himself, so he naturally wanted to seize the time to cultivate for a bit.

Zhou Changwang's mind stirred, and his spiritual sense diffused outward, first casting the Sound-Isolation Spell.

The perfection-level Sound-Isolation Spell could not only isolate sound, but also possessed the effect of isolating spiritual energy fluctuations.

In such an environment, especially on the boat deck when cultivators were numerous, it was indeed very appropriate.

As long as he did not withdraw the spell, others naturally wouldn't be able to see through his spiritual energy fluctuation changes from the outside, nor could they pry into the cultivation method and spell fluctuations he was practicing.

Following that, he cast the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp.

It was worth mentioning that through continuous cultivation beforehand, the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp mastered by Zhou Changwang had now completely stepped into the minor success stage.

The minor success Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp featured a faster casting speed, dropping from the original thirteen breaths down to seven breaths, and even the sustaining time had increased greatly as a result.

It reached four incense sticks' worth of time, which was half an hour, greatly extending the coverage time of his cultivation method's circulation.

The Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp was cast, and a cluster of 'glazed lamp fire' subsequently burned above his Dantian.

Afterwards, he circulated the Pure Sun Five-Element Technique cultivation method.

wisps and threads of five-element pure sun spiritual power, after being scorched and refined by the 'glazed lamp fire', began to traverse the meridians throughout his body, absorbing the ambient spiritual qi drifting between heaven and earth.

One incense stick, two incense sticks, three incense sticks...

After four incense sticks had passed, the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp extinguished, but his cultivation method continued to circulate.

Until after seven incense sticks had passed, one complete cycle was finished.

Cultivation +1

A look of joy appeared on Zhou Changwang's face, and he couldn't help but glance at his attribute panel.

Name: Zhou Changwang

Lifespan: 18/102

Cultivation: Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement (28/100)

Cultivation Method: Pure Sun Five-Element Technique (Minor Success 85/400)

Spells: Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp (Minor Success 39/400)

...

"After my strength reached the fifth layer of Qi Refinement, the speed of my strength growth has indeed slowed down a lot.

Fortunately, the current Pure Sun Five-Element Technique is only at minor success; after that, there is major success and perfection.

I believe that by that time, my cultivation speed will inevitably experience another massive boost.

Moreover, even now, compared to other cultivators, my cultivation speed is actually not slow.

Not to mention, because of the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp, the spiritual power I cultivate is very condensed and pure.

By utilizing such spiritual power, the might of the spells cast is naturally extraordinary as well."

Zhou Changwang sighed with emotion, feeling quite content.

Everything was proceeding step-by-step.

He only needed to be given a certain amount of time, until he correspondingly cultivated the Pure Sun Five-Element Technique to major success and perfection, and similarly elevated the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp to its limit... then he believed his cultivation speed could definitely catch up to the legendary geniuses of the sects.

And time was something he had in abundance.

At the age of eighteen with a lifespan of one hundred and two years, he possessed absolute confidence that before the age of sixty, fifty, or even forty, he would cultivate to the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refinement and launch an assault to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

After continuously cultivating for several cycles, the sky had grown dark, and night had descended.

However, the fishing boat did not stop; it naturally continued to navigate through the waters.

Zhou Changwang glanced around. Aside from a portion of people who entered the cabins and chose a place to cultivate, there were also some cultivators who chose to stay on the deck and meditate in cultivation.

Qian Xiaoyue, Lu Weier, Fang Shitong, and that female cultivator Liu Yuru who, like Qian Xiaoyue, was about to participate in the Water Cloud Immortal Sect admission assessment...

Seeing that everyone else was immersed in cultivation, Zhou Changwang did not disturb them.

Then, with a flip of his hand, he directly retrieved a jade slip and began to examine it.

This jade slip was precisely one of the spoils of war he had previously plundered from the storage bag of that seventh-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, Song Xianchao.

It was the jade slip that recorded the *Taiyi Golden Armor Technique*.

He planned to take advantage of the time he had now to first familiarize himself with the rune structures of this spell, so that when he officially practiced it, he could master it more quickly.

"This *Taiyi Golden Armor Technique* is indeed worthy of being a tier-one high-grade spell; its rune structures are also numerous, numbering as many as eighty-nine.

Among them, the ones overlapping with the rune structures I have mastered are only twenty-three..."

A new spell was a new challenge for Zhou Changwang.

Fortunately, he did not lack experience in spell cultivation, possessed his own unique insights into the practice and application of spells, and coupled with the intensity of his mental power which was no longer what it used to be...

Therefore, after merely half an hour, he had gained a considerable degree of understanding regarding these rune structures.

And then, he directly began to attempt it...

Under the effect of the Sound-Isolation Spell, the spiritual power around his body remained unmanifested. Coupled with the Concealment Technique, which similarly possessed the function of subduing aura and isolating spiritual energy,

when Zhou Changwang truly began trying to practice the *Taiyi Golden Armor Technique*, it didn't attract anyone's attention at all. Others could only see his movements, having no idea that at this moment, he was practicing a brand new spell.

Once, twice, thrice...

Attempting again and again, failing again and again.

Zhou Changwang had long since grown accustomed to this.

The attribute panel was not omnipotent.

Before achieving mastery, one practiced as one ought to practice, and it would not steadily increase cultivation experience the way it did after mastery.

"Perhaps there is an effect as well.

It's just a fixation of the cultivation progress; for instance, if the first time one can draw three rune structures, then the lower limit for the second time is three rune structures..."

Thoughts fluttered through Zhou Changwang's mind, and soon afterwards, because of a distraction, he only managed to condense seven rune structures before the spellcasting failed.

He did not take this to heart.

Cultivation, after all, took 'people' as its foundation.

The attribute panel was merely an auxiliary tool.

Only when the cultivator fully invested themselves could they achieve corresponding improvement.

Depending solely on the attribute panel could only determine his lower limit, while his upper limit could only rely on himself.

Thus, an hour later, Zhou Changwang felt mentally exhausted and finally stopped.

Naturally, he had not succeeded in practicing this spell.

After all, it was a tier-one high-grade cultivation method with numerous rune structures, and wanting to achieve mastery was not going to be so easy.

By now, he had only managed to master fifty rune structures.

Then he glanced at the sky. A crescent moon hung high, and although dark clouds drifted about, making it appear somewhat pitch black, he frequently washed and scoured his eyes with Clear-Eye Spiritual Liquid or even Spirit-Eye Golden Liquid, allowing him to see clearly in the darkness without being affected.

Then he looked around.

Jade Lake was vast.

Looking out into the distance, the nearest shore was several thousand meters away, while ripples constantly broke across the calm surface of the water.

Occasionally, even large fish leaped from the lake water, making a splashing sound.

Among them, Zhou Changwang even spotted a large fish that was a full zhang in length, leaping three zhang high out of the water surface. Upon falling back down, it was like a giant boulder tossed from high altitude, bursting open a massive splash of water.

"This must be a fish demon.

I wonder if it's a lower-grade fish demon or a middle-grade fish demon."

Zhou Changwang muttered to himself and shook his head.

He had long known that Jade Lake possessed a vast expanse of water and a deep lakebed, concealing an unknown number of fish demons and fierce beasts. Not only lower-grade and middle-grade fish demons, but high-grade fish demons and even great monsters at the Foundation Establishment realm existed here.

Fortunately, the fishing boat captain was experienced, and throughout the voyage, they avoided places that might harbor schools of fish demons and high-grade fish demons.

Therefore, the entire journey had appeared somewhat calm and tranquil.

Thump!

Right at that moment.

A jarring impact was heard coming from the hull of the boat.

It felt as though some colossal creature was colliding against the bottom of the boat.

Instantly, the cultivators who had been meditating and quietly cultivating all snapped to alertness.

Even the cultivators inside the cabins rushed out at the very first instance.

"What is going on?"

Shen Xinyue appeared on the deck immediately and asked anxiously.

"Rest assured, it's just a fish demon colliding against the bottom of the boat.

Minor issue!"

Captain Ge explained with a smile and then began to turn the helm. Not long after they resumed navigation, another jarring impact echoed from the bottom of the fishing boat.